VALVOLINE THINKING YOUNG FOR MOTOR OIL

Valvoline Co. for the first time is targeting Generation X with a motor oil campaign.

"One of the company's goals is to have the youngest user in the category," said Jan Horsfall, director of marketing and advertising.

Valvoline decided to focus on the younger crowd because 35% of people who change their own oil start between the ages of 18 and 24.

The number of people changing their own motor oil is declining, said Mr. Horsfall. "But younger people with less disposable income and a little more time on their hands, tend to change oil themselves."

One 60-second spot from Bozell Worldwide, New York, shot in b&w, shows a student admiring his dream girl from the front seat of his beat-up Oldsmobile. He imagines how much a nice new car would impress this girl. Then the girl interrupts his dream and asks him for a ride. The car starts and he thanks Valvoline.

The commercial broke during Indianapolis 500 coverage last month and is also running on MTV, Comedy Central and ESPN-2 and in movie theaters. The spot will be accompanied by print ads as well as TV spots for motor sports advertising for Valvoline's younger race fans.

Valvoline is also involved in interactive media to capture younger users, using a site on the Internet's World Wide Web to provide late-breaking information and results leading up to the Indianapolis 500. Additional features on product news and consumer information are being added to the home page this month.

As part of a commitment to more targeted marketing, Valvoline, using agency Mendoza, Dillon & Asociados, Newport Beach, Calif., continues to target the Hispanic market.

Valvoline, a division of Ashland Oil, spends about $30 million a year on advertising that is part of its total $100 million marketing budget.